'I basically leaked it through my cover letter': Job candidate guesses company's problematic secrets in their cover letter and gets call from the company's lawyer

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

Apr 18, 2023 9:00 AM EDT

Imagine submitting a cover letter that is so well written and on point with calling out and solving the company's problems that you immediately get contacted by the company's lawyer and a frantic department head who demand to know where you got your information. Then, after all of that, you still don't get the job when they balk at your compensation request… Talk about a roller coaster!

If you've ever wanted undeniable proof that you have the qualifications for a position and are generally skilled at what you do—this is it. I can't think of a better way to buck the demon that is Imposter Syndrome than this.

This story was shared on Reddit's r/antiwork subreddit by Redditor, u/Equivalent-Cup1511, who shared their experience with the ever-popular workplace community. Readers shared their thoughts in the comments, calling it a red flag that the employer had jumped to the conclusion that someone in the company had leaked sensitive information.

Keep reading for some screenshots, or follow the attribution to see the original Reddit thread. For more like this, check out this interviewer who awkwardly asked a candidate about open positions at the candidate's company, raising red flags.